Cliff Jumping at a Granite Quarry

Prized by rock climbers for its steepness, soundness and crack systems–some of the best rock climbing spots in the world, like Yosemite, the Mont Blanc Massif and parts of the Karakoram are granite climbs–granite is also good for cliff jumping.

Many of New England’s abandoned granite quarries fill with rain and groundwater and become lakes. Others are converted into landfills. Some, like Boston’s Quincy Quarries Reservation, are filled in and become popular rock climbing spots.

On Labor Day, I traveled outside of Boston to a top-secret granite quarry with a few friends. The day was perfect, the water deep, the sandwiches delectable to the palate. And there wasn’t another person in site, an ideal setting to goof off, swim around and document the day with picture and video.

One of the highest jumps is around 35 ft. and has one of the clearest water exits I’ve ever seen. This is me running and jumping:

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My friend David, more daring than I, decided to show me up with a front flip. Thanks, bro:

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Going to try to make it out there one more time before the New England weather begins to turn.

For three years, Alan traveled to 60+ countries as an international cost-of-living surveyor. Back in New York City, when he's not running, rock climbing or geeking out about UAV drones, Alan runs a marketing agency that helps companies generate more sales-ready leads using inbound marketing techniques.